Hampshire Landlord Jailed for Tax Fraud

A landlord from Church Crookham, Richard Fuller, 53, has been jailed for more than two years after he failed to declare capital gains on the sale of properties in the Aldershot area.

Fuller, of Bowenhurst Road, avoided paying £157,725 in Capital Gains Tax by failing to declare capital gains from the sale of his rental properties. He was given a prison sentence of two years and three months.

Fuller was arrested at Gatwick Airport in October 2014 after returning from holiday in Turkey. This followed an investigation by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) which revealed that between 2006 and 2013, he did not declare capital gains made from selling properties in the Aldershot area.

In court Fuller was found guilty of two counts of cheating the public revenue and three counts of fraud by false representation on July 14 (2017), and was jailed at Winchester Crown Court on Friday (August 11).

- Advertisement -

Sentencing Fuller, Judge Andrew Barnett said:

“The jury found you guilty of dishonesty. This is a serious matter, you deliberately failed to pay your capital gains tax over several years.”

The evasion was uncovered as part of HMRC’s crackdown on property tax evasion, the property taskforce campaign, and was subsequently referred for criminal investigation. Following the sentencing, confiscation will be sought to recover the proceeds of Fuller’s crimes.

Assistant director of the Fraud Investigation Service at HMRC, Richard Wilkinson, had said:

“Fuller thought he was above the law and decided not to declare or pay the tax due from the sale of some of his property portfolio.

“It is simply not acceptable to steal from UK taxpayers.

“HMRC will continue to pursue those who attempt to hide their gains on assets, their income, and investigate those who attack the tax system.”